


A Different Kind of Therapy

by Mysenia



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Play, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brat Will, Daddy Hannibal, Daddy Kink, Fluff, Little!Will Graham, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-16 13:47:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9274718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysenia/pseuds/Mysenia
Summary: Will likes to push people's buttons, likes to be a brat. Soon enough he is going to find out that some people just will not be pushed away, that Daddy's are a thing and maybe he has been looking for one all along.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [XCuteAsHale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/XCuteAsHale/gifts).



> For my dear Cutie, you deserve all the good things in life <3 I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> My first foray into the Hannigram fandom, pretty excited!

"You're being a brat, William."

Will rolls his eyes and lets out a forced chuckle. "Oh, sorry." He sing-songs, not at all remorseful of his actions. He is tired and feeling lost, beyond caring of what the man seated before him thinks. (Or so he tells himself).

"What reaction are you trying to provoke, William? Perhaps you'd like me to take you in hand." Hannibal says it as if it is not a big deal, as if this is just another facet to their relationship that he knew was coming and was just waiting for Will to catch up.

"Like, what, an old-fashioned school teacher?" Will scoffs.

Hannibal frowns minutely. "No, I was thinking more like a Daddy." 

And that word, _Daddy_ , said so calmly in Hannibal's smooth accent sends heat rushing to Will's cheeks. It is all he can do to retain his composure and utter a barely squeaked, "Oh."

Will cannot help his contrary nature. He is sure he hasn't always been this way, in fact remembers being the quiet kid who tried not to push anyone's buttons. Now though, he seems driven to push back - in tiny ways at least - no matter the consequences.

Admittedly, with Jack there are not many consequences because to him Will is the golden goose. Will's abilities grant him an immunity of sorts around Jack; not that the man does not shout and bluster, but there never seem to be any true consequences to Will. So he pushes.

Will should have known that this weird limbo he had found himself in with authority figures would not last. Alas, as Will would come to find out, brats always push for consequences and it just takes the right sort of _authority figure_ to put their foot down.

" _Dr. Lecter_ , I think our session is done now." Will coughs, clearing his throat and trying valiantly to regain control of the situation. The word _Daddy_ is floating around in his mind and he cannot focus enough on anything else. He needs to leave the office, get somewhere safe - home - where he can try to work out Hannibal's angle. He hopes the use of the doctor's last name emphasizes how unhappy Will is with him.

Hannibal merely continues to look at Will, assessing him Will is sure, before nodding slightly. "Very well, I will see you at our appointment next Friday at seven pm. Goodnight William." Hannibal stands and walks to his office door, pulling it open. He stands there waiting for Will to gather himself and leave.

It is not at all what Will thought he would do. Their standing routine was always that Hannibal would invite him back to his place for dinner. It did not matter that Will had wanted to go home, now that the option of going to Hannibal's has been taken away from him it is all Will wants to do to be able to go there.

"But," Will stumbles over his words, unsure which ones should leave his mouth. "dinner?" He finally concludes, wrong-footed and looking to Hannibal for guidance.

Hannibal smiles slightly before it fades away leaving Will feeling like he is looking at a statue. "Perhaps another night. Please, drive safely." Hannibal inclines his head at him as Will walks by. 

Will feels jittery as he walks out to his car, wants to turn around and march right up to Hannibal and demand why he is suddenly changing everything. This is not how it is supposed to go and the urge to lash out at the good doctor is rising higher and higher.

If Will's being honest with himself, he does not remember the drive home. He is too focused on the session he just had with Hannibal to be able to concentrate on anything else. Will knows that he is lucky to make it home unscathed and he just sits in the car as it idles in the driveway, trying to clear his head and focus.

He can admit that he feels angry and mildly devastated that the routine was changed. He does not do well with change, never has, and Hannibal knows that. It has been a subject that Will and the doctor have discussed many times. Will wants to lash out at Hannibal, ask if Will's _being a brat_ is what caused the man to change the unspoken plans.

The barking of the dogs pulls Will from his sour thoughts and he finally drags himself out of the car. He can hear the whining of the dogs as he walks up the front steps. Their eagerness causes a smile to light up his face and as he opens the door, he kneels down to greet them.

"Hello pups! Daddy's home."

Will freezes, horrified that those words left his mouth. He has never referred to himself as his dogs _daddy_ and the fact that he just did causes shudders to wrack their way through his body. He growls out loud and it causes the dogs to pause in their enthusiastic kisses.

Winston's whine snaps Will back to the dogs and he notices how they're all sitting patiently, waiting for him to signal that it is alright to proceed with the kisses. Will shakes his head, forces away thoughts of Hannibal and their session, and lets himself fall into the happy bubble that his dogs provide.

They spend the rest of the night cuddled up on the couch, Will immersed in his happy space. He does not allow himself to be preoccupied by any thoughts other than being in the moment with his little family unit.

As chance would have it, Will does not see Hannibal until their next scheduled appointment. Normally Jack would have called the man out to assist in a crime scene - since Jack seems to like it when Hannibal is there as support for Will - but apparently his boss had decided the doctor was unneeded. Will could not decide if that made him anticipate their appointment _more_ or not.

The thought of Friday hung like a black cloud over Will's head for the rest of the week and he contemplated cancelling on Hannibal a number of times. It was Thursday morning when Will picked up the phone, turning it over and over in his hands. 

On the one hand, it would be simple to call and cancel. It was just skirting the edge of Hannibal's 24 hour cancellation period but Will knew the doctor would forgive him. 

He allowed his fingers to dial the number that he already knew by heart and waited with bated breath. A part of him did not want the doctor to answer while the more indignant part told him that the man deserved for Will to cancel their appointment. Unfortunately the indignant part won out.

"Dr. Lecter."

Will cringed, thankful that Hannibal could not see him. "Er, yeah hi Hannibal, it's Will. I need to cancel our appointment for tomorrow."

The line was silent and Will pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure that it was still connected. When he put the phone back up to his ear he could faintly hear breathing but the dread was growing more in his stomach the longer the doctor did not respond.

"Certainly, William. Thank you for calling me. I trust you will be able to keep your appointment next week?" Hannibal asked. Will could not detect any sign of how the man was feeling as there was no noticeable nuance to his voice.

"Yes." Will breathed out quietly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Very well. Have a good day William." And with that Hannibal hung up.

Will stood with the phone pressed to his ear, listening to the dial tone. The conversation had gone exactly as he imagined it would but he felt infinitely worse than he had thought he would. Perhaps he had made his decision too hastily.

Will spends the rest of the day in a daze. Everything feels slightly off, like a filter has been put over him and he cannot throw it off. The students seem to pick up on mood and leave as soon as they are dismissed from class. Will makes sure to pack up quickly so as not to give Jack an opportunity to find him and force him to look at yet another crime scene.

His head is definitely not in the right mindset to be looking over anything, least of all gruesome photos of victims. The fresh air helps to clear his head as he gets into his car but Will still has to force himself to focus on the road, on the drive, so that he makes it safely home.

The dogs are as enthusiastic as ever to see Will and they crowd around him as he opens the door. Instead of instantly going inside, Will takes the time to walk with the dogs outside. The open air allows him to breathe.

They do not spend that long outside but by the time Will herds the dogs back into the house he is exhausted. Whatever energy he had, and with the lack of sleep he's had the past week he really did not have much to begin with, is gone and it's all Will can do just to get his family fed.

Once the pups are all munching away on their food Will makes it to his bed and collapses face first onto it. He kicks off his shoes and curls up into a ball in the middle of the mattress. The world seems too quiet and Will's body too loud.

Normally Will sleeps with just a sheet covering his body as he knows he nightmares will wake him up and he will be drenched in sweat. Tonight, however, he feels an overwhelming urge to cover himself up so he goes in search of some blankets. He manages to gather three big heavy blankets that he covers the bed with and then squirms underneath them.

It is hot beneath the blankets and Will can feel moisture gathering above his face with each exhale against the blankets but something about the weight, the darkness, soothes him. He feels lulled into a sense of calm that normally escapes him and he drifts off, completely relaxed in his surroundings.

He wakes in the morning still beneath his blankets. It is the first time in years that he has slept the entire night through. It nearly feels like a miracle.

Will scoffs at his own thoughts and pushes away the blankets. The sky is dark and it is raining, he momentarily contemplates calling off his classes and just staying in bed. That, however, would be a childish thing to do and he is no child.

"Fuck you Dr. Lecter for putting that stupid fucking thought in my head." Will grumbles as he pushes himself out of bed. Even after cancelling their session he still cannot get the doctor's words out of his head. If Will could bleach his brain and rid it of all the thoughts his last appointment with Hannibal put in his head, he would gladly take that reprieve.

The drive to work is long since, as usual, when the weather gets a little bit murky people forget how to drive. By the time he makes it to his office the good mood he had from his night's sleep is completely gone. He beelines it for the cafeteria and grabs himself a cup of coffee, cradling it like it alone will get him through the next 8 hours.

Will stands around so long with his coffee that he barely makes it to his class on time. He feels suddenly bleary-eyed and drained. Unfortunately the students are bound and determined to get him to answer their questions and class runs late. It means that Will only has a few minutes to run to his office to grab his materials for the next class.

The rest of the day is rushed and Will knows he is going to be late for his appointment with Dr. Lecter. He does not stop to let the man know, knows that Hannibal will be understanding of him being late as he is usually so punctual for their sessions.

It is only as he is walking into Hannibal's waiting room that he even remembers that he cancelled the appointment.


	2. Chapter 2

Before Will has a chance to back out of the room the door to the office is opening. Hannibal stands in the doorway, observing Will as he is wont to do. It makes Will feel very small indeed.

"I was not expecting you William." The doctor says, uncharacteristically stating the obvious.

"I forgot-" Will cuts himself off before he can finish the thought but Hannibal intuits what he meant to say.

"You forgot you cancelled your appointment?" Hannibal asks, still dominating the doorway.

"I, yes." Will finishes lamely.

"Tell me William, are you in the habit of running away from things that scare you?" Hannibal asks.

Will scrunches his eyebrows at Hannibal in confusion, wondering where that thought came from before it hits him. "I'm not scared." 

Hannibal's lips curl up in a ghost of a smirk. "So you're in the habit of cancelling appointments and then forgetting about it? No, William." Hannibal says as he takes a step back. "You were scared and made a hasty decision, one which you knew was not thought out properly and you desired to find your way here because deep down it is where you wanted to be."

The doctor looks Will in the eye and raises his brow, waiting for the empath to make the final decision. Will seesaws for only a second before marching past Hannibal. He is not scared and he will prove it to the man.

They need to discuss their last session anyway, so they might as well since Will wound up at Hannibal's office.

"I ended up here because it is habit, Dr. Lecter. Part of the routine." Will hisses at the man as he gracelessly flops into his appointed chair. 

Hannibal's smirk blooms fully and wickedly across his face, like Will's admittance was pure gold. It makes Will grit his teeth, barely curbing the urge to bare his teeth at the doctor.

"And you like routines William?" Hannibal asks as he seats himself with a flourish. 

Will wants to laugh at the dramatics of it all. Instead he frowns and replies, "We have already established, long ago might I add, that I like routines."

"Is that what had you so upset when you left our last session?" Hannibal's asks, crossing one leg over the other and seeming completely relaxed. 

Will laughs and it is not a pleasant sound. "Don't act stupid _Dr. Lecter_. It is not becoming on you."

"No." Hannibal agrees, smirk still in place. "So you've been thinking about my proposal." 

"Your proposal?" Will asks, eyes wide. "Your proposal was nothing more than you establishing your unhappiness with my rudeness." 

And Will is sure now that that is what it was because the other conclusion, that Hannibal _meant_ what he said is just preposterous

Sure Will has heard of Daddy's and Mommy's and Little's but he has never ever considered that as an option for himself. Has never himself had an inkling towards being anything but who he is - except perhaps someone more stable.

Hannibal clears his throat gently. "Yes, you were rude. There is a reason for that though William. A reason beyond your empathy and whatever other excuse you give yourself."

Hannibal pauses to observe Will, always to observe like even Will's sitting there needs to be catalogued. "You act out and you push, you rebel but what are you rebelling against? It's in your nature. You are a Brat, a Little, and you need a caregiver to take care of you. A Daddy." Hannibal finishes quietly.

Will feels completely unmoored. Hannibal sounds so logical but it cannot be true.

Hannibal seems content to let Will sit and contemplate the information he has been given. It seems so out of left field no matter how nicely the doctor phrases it. Will can even accept that he's recently been a brat but not with a capital B.

Surely he has not been acting out, asking for help from those around him but not getting what he needs as the doctor is suggesting. Cries for help and attention are so much easier to spot for someone like Will whose gift of empathy is so great that he cannot help but _see_.

Has he truly been blind to his own needs? The doctor seems to think so, is sure of it in fact.

"Why do you think I'm predisposed to being a Little, a Brat?" Will finally forces himself to ask. There is only so much introspection he can do.

Hannibal takes a moment to clasp his hands together and rest them on his crossed legs. Will knows the doctor never speaks without saying exactly what he means to say but he appreciates the man making the extra effort to give Will the explanation that he _needs_.

"You like to push. The need to fight against authority figures, it is not you acting out, it is you seeking to define boundaries. You want someone to step in and tell you when you've crossed a line, to lay down the law and take on the responsibilities that you carry. You don't want to be in charge as much as you put up the front that says you do. You want consequences to your actions."

Hannibal uncrosses his legs and sits forward on his chair. He lets his elbows rest on his knees and regards Will with a look that the empath cannot define. "Doesn't it ever bother you that Jack never follows through with his blustering pronouncements of punishment if you don't fall in line?"

Yeah, sure Will has thought of that. Always felt uncomfortable around the man after his yelling, but surely that was just because he was chastised by a superior and not because somewhere deep down he knew that nothing would come of the threats.

"I don't believe that. Jack always deigns to yell at me in front of others, completely unprofessionally, and that rubs me the wrong way. No one wants to be yelled at by their boss, but especially not in front of their colleagues." Will rebutted, mirroring Hannibal's stance in the chair.

Hannibal nods in agreement to what Will is saying. “No boss should criticize their employee in front of others, however I’m not talking about the criticism. I am talking about the discipline.”

“But I don’t want to be disciplined!” Will growls out in frustration. He pushes himself to his feet and paces towards the bookshelves, needing to not look at the doctor in that moment. Perhaps because he knows that Hannibal would see the truth shining through his eyes.

“It bothers you that Jack never follows through with his threats.”

Will huffs and turns to face Hannibal. “It’s inconsistent.” He hisses, hysteria pushing at the edges of his voice.

Hannibal regards him calmly. “Precisely.”

Even with Will’s empathy and his ability to read a situation, the doctor is still able to talk circles around him. It’s exasperating because a verbal match with Hannibal is always a losing game. The man is the epitome of calm in every situation Will has seen him in and the empath knows himself to be the exact opposite.

Will is reactionary; Hannibal is centered. 

“It’s unpleasant, that inconsistency, isn’t it Will?” Hannibal asks, tone gentle and inviting. “It would be nice if Jack said what he meant and took action when he said he would.”

Will sneers at the doctor. “But that’s just life, isn’t it? It’s not fair, it’s unpleasant, but that’s just the way it is and we have to accept that.”

“Do you? Should you not be able to _know_ and take comfort in set rules and boundaries? Is that not why you became a cop, so that you could enforce those laws that so give you a sense of safety and peace of mind?” Hannibal asked kindly, eyes soft in a way Will had never before witnessed.

Will feels a tightness grow in his chest as Hannibal asks his questions. It grows and spreads itself along his ribs, seeming to squeeze Will until it feels hard to breathe. There’s a part of him that trembles at the picture the doctor’s words are painting in his mind. Instead of answering, Will walks to the window and peers outside. It is long gone dark out, their session’s hour gone in the ticking of the clock on the wall that became background noise - the session that he was not even supposed to have because he cancelled it.

At the thought of the cancellation Will whips around to look the doctor full on. “Why does it matter? You’re just like the rest of society, all trumped up notions of lines and boundaries but here you are, letting me come in and have a session even after I cancelled.”

Whatever Will was expecting, it was not that Hannibal would agree with him.

“You are correct William. I do not abide rudeness and I have strict policies in place for my practice, and you have walked all over them tonight and there will be consequences.”

Will waited with bated breath for Hannibal to finish his thought.

“However, in light of all of the revelations you are surely going through, I expected you to show up for our session.” Hannibal explained. “Being a Little is a new concept for you and I certainly could not expect you to flounder through it alone. That is not what a Daddy is about.”

Will could feel agitation growing in him, sweat gathering along the nape of his neck. “But I’m not a Little!” He refuted, barely refraining from stomping his foot down. It was not an urge he had ever experienced before and it threw him off his axis.

“William.” Hannibal scolded and Will felt the tone sink right to his marrow. “I understand that you are confused about this but I will not have you yelling at me.”

Will dropped his head to his chest and breathed deeply. He felt reckless and wanted to make a mess - a mockery - of the doctor’s neat and tidy appearance. He wanted to prove to the man that Will was more than he could handle and to stop all talk of Little’s and Daddy’s.

Silence settled over the office. Will knew what Hannibal was waiting for and before _all of this_ he would have been able to give the apology no problem. Now there seemed a weight to it, like if he apologized he was accepting what Hannibal was saying and agreeing to everything.

The impulse to yell out ‘ _but I don’t wanna!_ ’ pulsed through Will so hard he rocked with it. He felt like he was teetering along the edge of a precipice and if he fell in his life would forever change. Except, would it be such a bad thing?

Will already depended on Hannibal to be his anchor at crime scenes, to pull him out of his own head when the monsters would not let go. He already trusted Hannibal. Would it really be so bad to try out being a Little?

What decided Will was the little voice in his head whispering about how nice it would be to not have to be in charge, to be able to let go and have it be someone else who took all the responsibility.

“I’m sorry.” Will finally apologized, keeping his head bowed.

Will saw Hannibal push to his feet from the empath’s peripherals. Measured steps brought the doctor just paces away from Will.

“I forgive you.”

With a deep breath Will peeked up at Hannibal and took the plunge. “Will I have to call you Daddy?”

The smile Hannibal let out at the question filled Will with warmth. Even if he was completely unsure about the road ahead, he knew Hannibal would guide him.

“Only if you feel comfortable with that. You may call me Dr. Lecter if you prefer however.” Hannibal answered him, eyes warm. “Now, Will, would you like to join me for dinner at my house?” 

Will nodded. “Yes, I would like that-” He paused, took a final steadying breath before whispering. “Daddy.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gets a little angsty in this chapter.

Will scrunched his nose and frowned to himself. If he is being honest with himself, the notion of calling Hannibal Daddy is laughable. Will is still not even entirely sure that he wants to pursue this avenue of a relationship with the doctor.

Hannibal is entirely too persuasive for his own good.

The drive to the man’s house takes entirely to little time. Will feels nervous as he parks the car and follows the doctor into the house.

The house is as large and resplendent as ever, nothing to indicate to the outside world that the man living inside likes to take on Littles. Not that Will thinks there is anything wrong with that, there is no shame in embracing one’s nature - at least in this respect - but it is all so new to Will.

Will pushes all thoughts of the things that make him uncomfortable to the back of his mind and he focuses instead on the meal that he is about to partake in. Hannibal’s table is always extraordinary, the food the likes of which regular people do not get to enjoy. As always Hannibal declines Will’s offer to help and ushers the empath to instead sit at the island so they might talk while he prepares the meal.

“And what’s on the menu tonight?” 

Hannibal flashes Will his barely there smile and begins to explain the elaborate meal. If anything could have enlightened Will to the doctor’s seriousness over his offer to Will, it would be this moment. 

Each part of the meal is orchestrated with the precision of a Master chef. If Hannibal is so fastidious over something so simple - at least cooking is simple when Will tries his hand at it - then he would never readily offer himself up to Will in the way he did if he was not absolutely sure of his intentions. 

“Why are you even-” Will sighs in frustration as the questions he wants to ask come spilling out. “I don’t get why you’re offering, whatever it is you’re offering.” He admits.

He grabs up the glass of wine Hannibal put before him before the man can answer and takes a large gulp. His nerves are turning into restless energy inside him and it takes every ounce of his self-control to not get up and pace.

“I’m sorry, I did not mean to interrupt your explanation. It’s just, you’re acting like this is all a regular occurrence!” Will refrains from saying normal because he does not want to imply that Hannibal is anything but. Sure Daddies and Littles are not the every day for most of the population but Will would never undermine a lifestyle and yearning that, most likely, millions of people partake in.

If anyone understands not being understood, it is Will and he tries extremely hard to not cast aspersions.

Hannibal momentarily pauses his dinner preparations. “William, in this relationship you have to be able to trust that I will remain calm and so I shall. It matters not that this is new to you, to our relationship as it stands right now, I am as I have always been with you: your anchor.”

“Now,” Hannibal claps his hands together and the suddenness of it startles Will. “I would like you to go to the sitting room and rest on the couch while I finish preparing our meal.” Hannibal looks Will straight in the eye as the empath prepares to leave the kitchen. “And Will? I should like you to use anything in the room that will make you feel more comfortable.”

Will laughs awkwardly at Hannibal’s request. “Sure thing, _Dr. Lecter_.” 

He feels restless as he makes his way to the sitting room if only because he still feels like he has more questions than answers. That’s a specialty of Hannibal’s though, guiding Will to answers but making it feel more like walking through a forest at night with the moon covered and roots making the ground dangerous.

Walking into the sitting room, Will is taken aback by what he finds. Clearly Hannibal has been planning for the eventuality of Will coming to his house and having them discuss a Daddy and Little relationship because what he sees speaks of forethought.

There are numerous stuffed animals placed around the room - all different kinds of dogs - and what look to be a series of blankets piled about the room. The blankets look to be extremely soft and since there is no one there watching him, Will makes his way over to one to feel the texture.

It is even softer than Will had imagined, probably cost a pretty penny as well, and Will fears that these were bought specifically for him. The generosity overwhelms him.

Rather than focusing on the blankets, Will makes his way over to one of the stuffed animals. It looks almost like an exact replica of Winston save it if much cleaner than the newest addition to Will’s family. The empath cannot help the smile that the dog brings to his face.

As a tribute to his own dog Will happily names the stuffed animal Winston and loosely hugs it with one arm to his chest. With the dog in hand he makes his way around the room and cannot help the full blown smile that graces his face.

Every single stuffed animal is a match to one of the dogs that Will calls family.

The picture of Hannibal walking around a children’s store and carefully picking out these toys for him fills Will with a warmth he’s not sure he has ever experienced. Will can literally say it is the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever bought for him.

For surely they must be gifts. Gifts a Daddy would acquire for his Little, or in this case Brat as the doctor has so called Will before.

Will feels quite affected by it, the generosity and deeper meaning to the gifts that he does not quite want to acknowledge, and so he gathers up the dogs and walks over to the nest chair that also seems to be a new purchase for the sitting room. It is grey and is covered in pillows.

On a whim the empath also grabs one of the blankets, a blue and grey one that is considerably more heavy than Will expected, and settles onto the chair. He sinks back into the cushions and piles the dogs around him. The blanket he shakes out and pulls over his legs and the weight of it is soothing.

Will feels foolish but cannot deny how pleasing it is to be bundled on the nest chair. It is definitely more relaxing than his bed at home and he can feel himself relaxing. Muscles he did not even know were tense are loosening the longer he sits.

Time passes but in that way it tends to when Will is absolutely absorbed in making his lures or when fishing, it flows right on by him like the wind through the forest. It is only Hannibal entering his line of sight that pulls him back from the quietness that had taken over him.

“Dinner is ready.” Hannibal says softly, like he does not want to disturb the atmosphere. “Would you like some help?” He asks, still in that pleasantly calming tone.

Will nods as he starts pushing his way out from underneath the stuffies and blanky. He shimmies to the end of the chair and grins up at Dr. Lecter as the man grasps his hands and pulls him to his feet. 

The man has nice strong hands and they steady Will when his legs wobble. He feels like jello, all loose and jiggly, and laughs at the thought. Dr. Lecter laughs with him and it causes Will to smile up at him. The doctor is so understanding that Will does not even have to speak and the man just seems to _know_ what is going on in his brain.

It is nice not having to explain himself.

Once Dr. Lecter is sure that Will is stable on his feet he lets go and beckons Will to follow him to the dining room. There are candles lit along the walls - high enough up that they cannot be accidentally knocked down - and a weird thing in the centre of the table that has a word for it but Will cannot think of it at the moment. 

As Will takes the seat that Hannibal pulls out for him he peers around the room. It feels like he is coming out of a fog and his empathy comes crawling back to the forefront of his mind. 

“W-wha-” Will clears his throat and takes a sip of water that was poured for him. He is not even quite sure what he was going to ask but Dr. Lecter seems to have grasped what he was looking for anyway.

“That, dear Will, was a taste of a Little headspace.” He informs Will, still keeping his voice low.

And perhaps Will could have figured that out if he were on his own but it is a relief to have Dr. Lecter be frank with him.

“But, we didn’t- you didn’t do anything.” 

The look Hannibal sends his way can only be described as tender. “On the contrary, I provided a safe environment and objects which catered to your Little headspace.”

Will rubs at his face in an effort to hide his confusion. He feels vulnerable and has the urge to hide from that knowing gaze. “And it works like that? I’ll always just, I don’t know, fall into that mindset without realizing it?”

The thought that it could happen so quickly and without any thought on his part scares Will. He has a life, dogs that need looking after and a job that requires his full attention; he cannot afford to lose himself to his Little headspace, as Hannibal calls it.

“Please eat.”

“What? No. Answer my question Hannibal.” Will frowns. He can feel his hackles rising.

Hannibal’s mouth turns down at the corners before he replies. “You will take a bite of your food William and then I will answer your questions.”

Will rolls his eyes and makes a bit production of taking a bite of the meat on his plate. He cannot even remember what Hannibal told him it was, some fancy form of beef most likely, and chews obnoxiously. Will makes sure to swallow loudly and pointedly stares at Hannibal.

“I do not believe that you will fall into your Little headspace that quickly or easily, no. There are many factors that were pushing you tonight.” Hannibal explains.

Will narrows his eyes at the doctor. “You say that as if I won’t always have these _factors_ pushing down on me.” Will coughed out a laugh. “The pressures I dealt with today, this week even, will always be pushing at me. I’ll always be tired and stressed and teetering on the brink.”

“Perhaps, however you are new to the entire concept of headspaces. If you allow yourself to experience it more you will become accustomed to the sensation of going under.”

It never fails to amaze Will how Hannibal can remain calm even in the face of a storm, for a storm was coming the doctor’s way. Will could feel his irritation rising and underneath that, his disappointment. 

“I don’t think I can do it Hannibal.” Will confessed, voice suddenly petering off. His throat felt tight and the back of his eyes suddenly burned. “It was nice, yes, and the peace of mind I felt while you finished dinner is definitely something I know I could start to crave.”

Hannibal full on frowned. “But?”

Will sighed and looked away. “But I cannot afford to embrace this the way I think you want me to. This would be a lifestyle change, or at least you would want it to be, correct?” Will waited for Hannibal to confirm it with a slight nod before continuing. “No, I just, there is too much at risk in my day to day for me to be able to do this.”

“I think you’re making your decision too hastily William. We would not fall into a day to day pattern of the lifestyle right away, maybe not even for years. We will take it at your pace, have a session once a week or a month, depending on what you are comfortable with.” Hannibal seemed nearly desperate to make Will understand.

Will shook his head, this was not going to work. “I’m sorry. I really, thank you for opening my eyes to this aspect of myself but I cannot do it.” Will pushed away from the table, food barely touched. “I think it might be best if I headed home now.”

“If that is what you wish.” Hannibal replied, no inflection to his voice.

Will refrained from looking directly at the doctor for fear of seeing any number of negative emotions on the man’s face but mostly disappointment. Hannibal had trusted him with a well guarded aspect of his life and here Will was trampling all over it. Hopefully he would be able to understand that Will just could not handle it. At least not right now.

“Goodye Hannibal, thank you for the lovely meal. I’m sorry I ruined it.” Will apologized as he scrambled to leave. He suddenly felt claustrophobic and needed fresh air, needed to cool down.

“There is no need to apologize William. I pushed you too far and for that I apologize. Please drive safely.” Hannibal said as he followed Will out of the dining room and to the front door. “If it it not too much trouble, I should like to ask one favour of you before you leave.”

Will paused with his back to the doctor and nodded.

“Please text me once you have reached home. It would relieve me greatly to know you arrived safe and sound.”

Out of all the requests that Hannibal could have made, asking Will to let him know he got home safely was not one of the things Will thought he would ask for. “Yeah, sure of course.” Will agreed easily, happy that at least he could do this little thing for his friend after ruining everything else.

With one quick glance back at the doctor, Will gives an approximation of a smile and walks out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels a bit like an emotional rollercoaster.

Will knows that leaving Hannibal’s house feeling the way he does is a bad decision, one of his many ill-advised decisions, but the need to get away is just too great. He is sweating and feeling nauseous, just wants to crawl into bed and turn off the world for a little bit. However he has to make it home before he can do that.

The prospect of driving an hour and a half to get home is so daunting Will physically cannot start his car once he is in it. He sits there and stares listlessly out the front window as he pictures the long drive ahead of him.

He knows the smart thing to do would be to get a hotel room for the night, call his neighbour and ask her to let the dogs out and feed them. Except all that requires him to make decisions and he does not want to be in charge of anything.

It is not a new thought, wanting for someone else to come into his life and make the arrangements for everything. He is sure that many people have had that thought - many people who are not Littles and are just tired adults who need a break from responsibility. It is an argument he would make to Hannibal should the man ever ask him about it.

Will puts his hands on the steering wheel and squeezes it, urging himself to put the keys in the ignition and start the car. He knows he can do it, knows that he is _capable_. Telling himself that does not do a lick of good when he cannot seem to control his limbs.

He feels heavy all over. The weight on his shoulders seems to have tripled since walking out of the doctor’s house. Will is sure if he had any energy whatsoever he would be irritated with Hannibal but as it is he is not capable of feeling any more.

He feels so full of responsibilities. Will allows himself a moment to rest his head against his hands, breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly in a bid to centre himself. 

He wondered how Hannibal did it, how the doctor was always so composed. Meditation? Or maybe it was a honed skill from years of being a surgeon. In terms of high-stress jobs, that would be right up there with law enforcement.

Which is why it is so crazy that Will apparently has no coping mechanisms to speak of. If someone had asked Will two weeks ago he would have said he managed, that yeah he had the ability to cope. But now?

The ringing of his phone startled Will so badly he kneed the steering wheel. Cursing he fumbled around for the phone.

“Yes?” He answered, feeling strangely guilty. Taking a moment to breathe surely is not a bad thing and yet Will can feel it eating him up - not that whoever is calling him would _know_ that that is what he was doing.

“William, I believe I asked you to text me when you arrived home.”

Will feels himself go cold all over. No way has he been sitting in his car outside the doctor’s house for over an hour and a half.

“I’m, uh, not home yet.”

A sigh comes through the line and it makes Will wonder how upset Hannibal is with him that he is audibly reacting to Will’s confession. Will grimaces and cringes even though he knows Hannibal cannot see him.

“Please at least tell me you pulled over to answer the phone William.”

Will leans his head against the window and peers up at Hannibal’s house. “Not exactly.”

Though he cannot see the doctor’s face Will can perfectly picture the irritation that is surely gracing the doctor’s features. A slight creasing of his eyebrows and his mouth turning down just the tiniest bit at the corners. It makes an unpleasant shiver crawl down Will’s spine just picturing it.

“You are being purposefully vague William and I would appreciate that you be honest with me.”

It is the empath’s turn to sign. Hannibal’s displeasure is practically screaming itself over the phone line.

“I’m sitting in my car outside of your house.” He finally confesses. As he is still watching Hannibal’s house he sees the moment the curtains in the living room get pulled aside and the doctor peers out.

They make eye contact for only a moment before Hannibal disappears from the window. Seconds later he is opening the front door and Will hangs up the phone. No point in staying on the line when the man can just give him a verbal lashing face to face.

Will opens the car door and steps out just as Hannibal steps up beside his car. The doctor looks visibly upset and it makes Will wonder just what thoughts are currently going through the man’s brain.

“I feel very unsettled and should like to hold you, if you will allow it.” Hannibal confesses.

Will certainly is not expecting that and gives a quick nod. Hannibal wastes no time in enveloping the empath in his arms. He embraces Will tightly and exhales harshly against the top of Will’s head.

Will feels the need to apologize because he clearly worried Hannibal but at the same time, _he did nothing wrong_. It feels like there is a war going on inside his head and he does not want to have to validate his actions to the man currently holding him.

And yet that is exactly what he finds himself doing mere seconds later.

“I’m sorry.”

Hannibal clutches him closer and whispers something into Will’s hair that is foreign to the empath. The hug is warm and comforting, Will allows himself to lean into it - tentatively bringing his own arms up to wrap around the doctor.

Hannibal finally drops his arms from around Will and the empath reluctantly does the same.

“It is I who should apologize Will. I will admit, when you did not text me after the given length of time it should have taken you to arrive home I started imagining the worst case scenario.”

Will nods in understanding. “As a former surgeon I’m sure you had plenty of fodder to feed that.”

Hannibal smiles tightly and it does not reach his eyes. “Indeed. Now, will you tell me why you were sitting out here? It has been two hours since you left my house.”

Will can feel his eyes widening, surely it had not been that long already. However the doctor would not have reacted as he did if he were not telling the truth and so Will bows his head in shame.

Except he did _nothing_ wrong and does not feel that he should be at all feeling guilty. Will physically steps back from Hannibal and glares at the man.

“I can see what you’re doing _Dr. Lecter_.” Will hisses, his irritation at the situation rising. “You’re trying to manipulate me but _guess what_? It’s not going to work. I’m on to your little game and I can tell you that I’ve had enough.” He glared and curbed the urge to poke the doctor in the chest to emphasize his point.

Hannibal tuts at him, almost as if he is disappointed. “You are acting very defensive, William. Perchance it is because you’re feeling Little right now and would like me to take over for a little while?”

And that is not at all the reaction Will predicted Hannibal would have. “No! Everything is just wrong! Stop messing with me Hannibal. I was just, I just-” Will huffs, unable to find the words to explain how he is feeling. “I just _needed a moment_ without you analyzing my every move. I needed space to breathe. I _need_ space to breathe. You’re not letting me! You’re smothering me!” Will ends on a shout, his entire body shaking.

Hannibal regards him calmly. Will wishes he could ruffle the man’s feathers, see him lose control but at the same time, it is soothing that in the face of Will’s ire the doctor remains cool. It makes the anger leave as quickly as it came and he suddenly just feels drained.

Hannibal takes in the drooping of his shoulders, the silence, and understands without Will having to verbalize anything. He reaches out and Will allows the doctor to hold his hand, leading him back inside the house. Once they get back in he takes Will’s phone and asks which person in the contacts list to call to watch over the dogs.

As Will meanders back into the sitting room, back to his plushies and blanket on the nest chair, the weariness sweeps over him. He wonders why he fought so hard against Hannibal when right now he feels no stress over the man taking over for him. 

All Will feels is tired.

He is sitting drowsily on the chair when Hannibal appears at the doorway. Will does not know what the doctor sees but whatever it is, it makes the man frown. He only knows that the underlying emotion he feels is confusion and he feels like he has been on an emotional rollercoaster.

Hannibal makes his way towards where Will is slouched on the chair and he smiles down at Will.

“Ms. Tumley said she will be delighted to go and feed the dogs tonight and see to them in the morning as well.” Hannibal informs him. “Now that that is taken care of, we should get you ready for bed.”

Will feels his eyes grow wet at the information that his dogs will be taken care of. They are his life, his happiness, and Will hopes Dr. Lecter can see the gratefulness in his eyes.

Will thinks that going to be sounds nice, he is so very tired after all. It feels like his brain is shutting down and processing the world outside of Dr. Lecter’s gaze becomes difficult now that he knows his pack are being seen to.

Dr. Lecter reaches out a hand and places it gently on the top of Will’s head. It’s grounding and the empath leans into the touch, encouraging Dr. Lecter to run his fingers through the brown strands. 

Will cannot remember the last time someone touched him in such in an innocent and yet soothing gesture. He appreciates it more than he has the capability to say right then. 

“When we get upstairs I should like for you to take a bath. Is that alright, Will?” 

Will does not really like baths but he knows Dr. Lecter would not suggest it without it being needed. “Of course Dr. Lecter. I don’t feel stinky but if you think I need a bath I’ll have one.”

The doctor smiles at him then and Will smiles back. He likes making Dr. Lecter happy. 

Once they get upstairs Dr. Lecter leads Will to the guest room which Will has stayed in at least once before but it is different from how he remembers it. For starters the bed has a tent over it, which Will likes because he can close the world out. There is a big carpeted area now as the bed has been pushed against one wall. There are plushies and cushions and blankets everywhere.

It looks like the best room ever.

“There are pyjamas for you in the middle drawer of the dresser, you may pick out the ones you would like to wear while I run your bath.” Dr. Lecter informs him, pointing out the correct drawer before leaving the room.

Will wanders over to the drawer as he looks around the room. It feels bigger than he remembers but that is okay. Opening the drawers shows him that Dr. Lecter bought him lots of pyjamas. He sorts through them and discovers that some are one piece and some two.

Will pulls out the best ones - a two piece pyjama set with doggies all over it - and brings it with him to the bathroom. Dr. Lecter is just standing up from crouching beside the tub when Will walks in. He beckons Will over to his side and asks Will to check the temperature of the tub.

“Yeah, feels nice.” Will confirms as he drops his pyjamas on the floor and starts getting undressed. Dr. Lecter watches him but does not offer to help.

“Will you need help washing yourself William?” He asks and Will gives him a funny look.

“No Dr. Lecter, I can wash myself. I’m a big boy.” Will shakes his head at the silly man before stepping into the tub. There are toys along the edge and Dr. Lecter points out which soaps are for Will’s use.

“Just call my name if you need anything. I will be back in twenty minutes to get you out of the tub.”

Will nods and starts playing with the ducky and the dog. They go on an adventure together to save the fishies. They are just defeating the feet monster when Will remembers that he is supposed to clean himself so he pours lots of soap onto his hands and rubs it all over his body. After washing it off he grabs the other bottle, the 2-in-1 that Dr. Lecter said was for his hair and soaps up his hair after getting it wet.

Will is just coming up out of the water as Dr. Lecter walks back into the bathroom. Will points at his hair to show the doctor that he is all clean and stands up when the man holds out a towel for him. Now that he is all squeaky clean he can feel himself yawning.

He is really really sleepy.

Dr. Lecter helps him get his pyjamas on and gets Will to brush his teeth. He then walks Will back to his bedroom. The lights are off but fairy lights hanging from the ceiling light up the room enough for Will to see. He crawls into bed and sees all of his puppies are with him.

“Thank you for getting my puppies.” He tells Dr. Lecter. The man should know that Will is thankful.

Dr. Lecter smiles at him. “You are most welcome, dear Will.”

At the endearment Will feels happy all over and he reaches out to give the doctor a hug. Dr. Lecter gives the best hugs, strong and warm. After Will pulls away from the hug, Dr. Lecter helps tuck him under his blankets and makes sure that all of the plushies are snug and cuddled up beside Will. Will is just about to close his eyes when Dr. Lecter speaks to him.

“Do you remember where my room is?” Dr. Lecter asks and Will nods. “If you wake up and you need me, just come to my room. It is alright if you have to wake me up, do you understand William?”

Will nods again but it feels like Dr. Lecter wants him to say it out loud. “I understand Dr. Lecter.”

Dr. Lecter runs his fingers through Will’s hair again and the empath closes his eyes at the feeling. It is gentle and relaxes him from the tip of his head all the way down to his toes. Will falls asleep before the doctor even leaves the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit of a shorter chapter but I felt it ended more smoothly here than if I had tried to continue on to the next bit.

Mornings are some of Will’s favourite times because he gets to wake up and snuggle his doggies. The eating bit is a little harder for him but the waking up is easy, he goes from sleeping to waking just like that.

This morning is no different and Will opens his eyes expecting to be greeted by his family needing to go outside. As a big boy it is a chore he can do all by himself, letting the dogs out to pee.

Except this morning he does not wake up to his doggies but the silent plushies that were bought for him. They are not the same as his real life doggies and it makes Will feel very upset.

It is not a silly sad feeling but a big one that takes over his entire body and makes his chest hurt. He feels the tears coming and tries to squeeze his eyes closed really tight so that they will not come out. It does not work and he is crying very hard in a matter of moments.

Will is gasping for breath because he is crying so hard he cannot breath. It hurts his body and he just wants the shaking to stop - he wants a hug.

“Dr. Lecter.” He calls out, quietly because there is a part of him that does not want to wake up the older man. The tears keep falling though and he really just wants a hug. “Dr. Lecter!” He calls out louder.

Except he does not hear any footsteps telling him that the older man is coming and the fact that that distresses him _even more_ jars Will enough to knock him out of his headspace. He’s sitting in the bed surrounded by plushies in pyjamas that are covered in dogs with tears streaming down his face and he just feels miserable.

It is not pleasant.

Will pushes his way out of bed and stands looking around. He is in the heart of a child’s room and feels nothing but old and worn. 

The tears are still trickling over and spilling down his cheeks, the hollowness growing in his chest. Will really wishes he had his dogs with him in that instant - instead he has poor imitations that just trouble him now that he thinks about it.

He is seesawing between headspaces, he can tell because the urge to cry is harder to curb at some moments and easier in others. Will stands there, staring listlessly around the room for an indeterminate amount of time before Dr. Lecter enters the room.

“Will?” The doctor calls out softly even though he already has Will’s attention. Their eyes meet and all Will can see is concern reflected in the other man’s gaze.

His empathy is like a flickering candle which the wind is blowing out. He can make neither heads nor tails of Hannibal’s design, the endgame of what they are doing. It is such an unfamiliar feeling to be unable to even glimpse through another person’s mind, to be dependant on the other person in the room _telling_ him what they are envisioning that he feels himself start to sink again. 

“William, may I hug you?”

And Will wants a hug, does not understand why Dr. Lecter is even _asking_ , so he just nods. The man is quick to step up to him and engulf him in strong arms. Will does not keep crying but tries to burrow into the doctor’s chest, tries to let the sense of safety and comfort envelope him.

“I believe breakfast is in order and then we will go see your dogs.”

Will pulls back slightly then to look up at the man with hope in his eyes because that is all he wants to do. Dr. Lecter smiles at him and thumbs away the stray tears lingering on Will’s cheeks.

“Can we have pancakes?” Will cannot help but ask because it has been so long since he last had them. “They are my favourite.” He finishes with a small smile. 

Dad-Dr. Lecter smiles back at him and instructs Will to get dressed while he goes to prepare breakfast. Will hurries as quickly as he can because his tummy is now gurgling and he is very very hungry.

Will hurries down the stairs and skids into the kitchen. There is already juice and some apples cut up in a bowl on the island so Will makes his way over to them. He picks up an apple slice and takes a bite as he seats himself across from the doctor.

“Can there be chocolate chips in the pancakes?” Will asks as he munches on his apple. It is crunchy and juicy.

“No, however I will put bananas in them.” Da-Dr. Lecter says and Will is okay with that. He likes bananas too.

Will finishes the rest of his apple just as a plate with two hot pancakes is placed in front of him. He grins and reaches for the butter and syrup. Will is busy slathering his breakfast in the sugary goodness to notice the affectionate look Hannibal sends his way.

After taking the first bite of his pancake his scrunches his nose and looks down at the food. “It tastes different.” He confides and eyes the older man.

“That would be the organic maple syrup.”

“Ohhhh.” Will nods and goes back to eating with a shrug. It still tastes really good just like all of daddy’s food. Will feels himself going red in the cheeks at the thought and glances slyly up at the doctor. 

Dr. Lecter is watching him. “Is everything alright my dear Will?”

Will stuffs more pancake in his mouth so he does not have to answer but when he glances back up at the older man he is still watching. “Can I call you Daddy?” Will asks in a whisper, looking away again.

“That would please me greatly.” Daddy answered with a big smile. Will liked it when he could see daddy’s teeth when the man smiled.

“Okay.” He smiled back and finished up his breakfast. “Can we go see my doggies now please?” Will asked as he wiggled a bit in his seat.

“You need to wash your sticky fingers first but then we will go.”

Will made sure to put his plate and cutlery in the sink before rushing off to clean himself up. He could not wait to see his doggies.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a long drive to his house, Will knew this, but it felt like it tooks ages and ages. He just wanted to see his doggies right away.

“Are we close yet?” He ask plaintively as he leaned his head against the window and stared at the trees flying by.

“Unfortunately no, we still have another 45 minutes to go.” Daddy patiently explained.

Will pouted. “But--but that’s like-” He groaned in frustration because he could not remember the words that would tell Daddy what he was thinking.

“That is about halfway.”

And yeah, that’s what Will wanted to say. “Yeah, only halfway! Home is forever away.”

Daddy sighed. “No William, we do not exaggerate. It is precisely 45 minutes away.”

Will grumbled under his breath. Daddy was always so proper, it reminded him of Hannibal. 

A bump in the road bounced Will against the window and that, combined with the distressing thought, had him sitting upright. It did not just _remind_ him of Hannibal, Daddy and Hannibal were one in the same.

Dread curls in Will’s stomach as he wonders just when those lines became blurred and distanced. 

“Will?” Dad--Hannibal called gently.

“No, just--no. Not right now.” He bit off, trying to keep the sudden nausea at bay. Sweat was beading along the back of his neck and under his arms; he felt at once too hot and too cold.

The urge to bury himself underneath his pack became unbearable. He curled inward and gripped at his thighs, trying to ground himself in the moment and not lose himself to the overwhelming void that seemed to want to swallow him up. 

“William.”

Will snapped. “Don’t call me that!” He yelled. Trying to scramble away from the doctor resulted in Will smacking his head against the window, black spots dancing along his vision.

Will is sure that he lost time for a moment because when he became aware of himself the car was no longer in motion. In fact, Will was no longer even in the car. He was seated on Hannibal’s lap as the doctor leaned against the car.

“You’re getting dirty.” Will pointed out, completely unhelpfully but he could not hold the words in. 

“How are you feeling?” Hannibal redirected and it jolted Will enough that he answered honestly.

“I feel sick.”

“Yes, of course. I am so very sorry Will.”

Will struggled to pull away from the doctor’s hold. “What, why are you sorry?” He asks, confused as to everything in that moment. Well, everything except for the comforting embrace of Hannibal’s arms around him.

“I should have realized that your headspace would not sustain you through the long distance.” Hannibal said, almost sounding like it was an admittance of guilt.

Will could not exactly blame the doctor for the occurrence though, as this was completely new to the both of them. Will let the doctor pull him back into the warmth of his body and sighed, inhaling the comforting scent that Hannibal always carried around with him. “You cannot take on that blame.”

“While you may think that Will, I have been in this scenario before and know to read the signs.”

Will pulled the doctor’s arms tighter around himself. “But what options did you have? I really wanted to see my dogs and I was in my, in the headspace. I think it was going to not work out exactly as you had planned no matter what.”

“That may be but I will have to make sure I have a closer watch on you in the future. You are very precious to me Will, no matter your headspace.” Hannibal said softly. “I would not jeopardize you or your health.”

Will does not have anything to say back to that. It is true that the doctor has more experience, though how much Will does not know, and there is a comfort in knowing that the man will now be paying even more attention to Will.

He will never admit it aloud but he craves Hannibal’s attention. That has not always been the case but definitely has been present in his interactions with the man in the last few months. Ever since Hannibal discovered he was ill - almost single-handedly deduced that Will had encephalitis - Will has been more dependant on the doctor.

Their interactions have happened more frequently due to Will seeking the doctor out beyond their standing appointments. 

In fact, looking back, Will can pinpoint when his comfort with the doctor rose because his need to push back increased. His _childish_ tendencies started to become more prominent which inevitably lead to where they are now.

“You’ve known for awhile now, haven’t you?” He asks, apropos of nothing.

As with everything though, Hannibal is always on Will’s brainwave. “Not always. I will admit that it took one or two sessions where your behaviour had altered slightly for me to pick up on the signs.” The doctor admitted.

Sitting in Hannibal’s arms lulled Will into a sense of peace and calm that had been eluding him for some time. It is not the same as his little headspace, that much he can determine, but there is a rightness to it all the same.

They sit for a time, the sun beating down on them as a cool breeze ruffles their hair. There is a scent that tickles at the nose that speaks of open fields and carefree moments. Will wishes he could bottle it, could remember this exact moment when he consciously diverted his life from the reckless path it was going down and accepted the offer of the man holding him.

He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, completely content. 

Hannibal momentarily holds him tighter before loosening his grip. “Shall we head to your place?” He asks, offering a smile to Will as the younger man pushes to his feet. He turns around to offer a hand to the doctor which the man accepts.

The simple clasp of theirs hands, of Hannibal accepting Will’s help, fills Will with warmth. There is a part of the empath that feared he would always be the one looking to the doctor for aid but that movement, however small it might appear, but Will at ease. Their dynamic was not an unbalanced one but a union that they both leaned on and found comfort in.

Will’s empathy told him that much at least.

Once they are back in the car Will can feel his excitement to see his dogs burst out again. He hates leaving them, even overnight when they are being cared for, and the itch to be surrounded by them fills his entire body. He near vibrates with the need to physically see his pack.

The drive seems to take no time whatsoever after their impromptu stop and before Will knows it they are driving down the long dirt path leading to his house. Even from the car he can hear the dogs barking happily as the car pulls up and stops - Dr. Lecter has been over frequently enough that the pack seem to know the car by sight.

The car is barely stopped before Will is unbuckling and throwing open the door. He races up the steps and quickly unlocks the door. The moment it is open the pack nearly bowl him over in their enthusiasm to greet him but it just causes the empath to laugh. He kneels and makes sure to greet them all by name and give each dog some love and attention.

He is laughing, his joy pouring out of him, when he hears the footsteps coming up the steps behind him and remembers that he is not alone. He is turns with a grin on his face and looks up at the man standing behind him.

“Daddy! Come say hi to the doggies!” He says with a giggle as Winston licks his ear. It tickles and the dog does it again.

“So long as they do not jump up.” Daddy says and Will nods.

“No, they won’t do that. They only jump on me!” Will says with a grin. His doggies are very well trained.

Daddy walks closer and makes sure to pat each dog on the head, saying hello to each member of Will’s family by name. Will is so happy that Daddy remembers their names cause names are important - Daddy told him that a long long time ago.

“Shall we take them for a walk?” Daddy asks. 

Will cannot help his squeal of excitement at the question and jumps up give Daddy a kiss. Daddy leans his head down to receive the kiss, making sure to fix Will’s shirt before allowing the empath to follow the dogs down the front steps. Will laughs a bit at Daddy because doesn’t he know that Will’s shirt is just going to get messed up anyways? But Will knows it makes him happy so he doesn’t say anything, just stands still until Daddy thinks he is ready and then bounds down the stairs.

The sun is really high and Will can feel himself get sweaty as he runs after the doggies but it feels nice. Will looks back to make sure Daddy is following and laughs at the sight of his hair blowing all over the place because of the wind. Will likes Daddy like this, outside where he looks happy and not in his dark office.

Will always wants Daddy like this and he reminds himself to let Daddy know when they get back to the house.

A bark pulls his attention and he is off running again. He feels wild, like he is one of the dogs, and he lets loose a howl. All of the pack follow suite and they howl until Will has no more breath left. He stops and bends over his legs, taking big breaths, and smiles when he feels a warm hand on the back of his neck.

“If we head back now it will be lunchtime when we arrive at the house.”

Will pouts, he was having so much fun. His tummy chooses that moment to growl loudly and Will sighs in defeat. “Okay Daddy.” He lets out a whistle and in seconds all the doggies are sitting at his feet. “Time to head home.” He tells them seriously and they all turn, trotting off towards the house which is now a tiny dot in the distance.

“What’s for lunch?” Will asks as he reaches for Daddy’s hand. He likes how big Daddy’s hands are.

“Fish.”

Will eyes the doctor. “And peas?”

“Yes.”

“Oh good, I like peas. Not corn though, unless it’s on the stick.”

Daddy laughs. “On the cob Will, it is called corn on the cob.” 

Will nods because that is what he meant and allows Daddy to steer him towards the house. It seems to take ages to get back and Will feels like his tummy is completely empty by the time they walk into the house. He is about to open his mouth to complain when Daddy hands Will an apple.

“You eat that while I prepare lunch.”

Will is already busy biting into the apple so he just watches Daddy walk into the kitchen. He stands there eating the apple and wondering what to do when the doctor calls out to him.

“There is a puzzle for you in my briefcase if you should like something to do.”

Will turns back to the front door and sees the briefcase and just like Daddy said there is a puzzle. It has a picture of doggies and a lake and duckies on the front and Will is so excited to do it. He quickly runs into the living room with the puzzle clutched in one hand, the apple in the other. 

Before Will opens the puzzle he finishes his apple because he knows that Daddy won’t like sticky fingers on the puzzle and is about to go wash his hands when Daddy brings him a wet cloth. Daddy is so smart.

“Thank you Daddy.” Will knows that Daddy knows he is talking about the cloth _and_ the puzzle.

“You are most welcome my dear Will.” Daddy says before leaning down to place a kiss on Will’s forehead. Will cannot help but smile goofily up at Daddy before turning his full attention to the puzzle. He knows Daddy will call him when lunch is ready.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time Daddy calls Will for lunch he is well into the puzzle and does not want to leave until it is done. Daddy does not shout for his attention, instead comes to the doorway of the living room and tells Will lunch is ready.

Will hears him, he really does, but he is so close to finishing the puzzle so he continues on doing it. It is the best feeling when he finds a piece that fits in!

“William.”

Will does not look up. Maybe if he does not make eye contact then Daddy will go away.

“William, look at me.”

Will huffs and continues looking at his puzzle. “Yes Daddy?” 

Silence meets his question and Will growls and finally looks over at Daddy. Daddy is frowning and that only causes Will to frown more.

“I believe I told you lunch is ready.” Daddy says, his eyebrows lifting up likes he’s asking a question but he is really not.

“I heard you!” Will whisper-yells. He knows Daddy is not happy with him and that makes Will upset but it also makes him angry because he wasn’t being a bad boy.

“And yet you’re still sitting in front of your puzzle.”

“Because it is almost done! I just want to finish it before lunch!” Will complains. Doesn’t Daddy know anything?

“And did you tell Daddy you just wanted to finish your puzzle or did you ignore him?” Daddy asks. 

Will frowns and crosses his arms. He is not going to answer Daddy’s question because it’s a stupid question and will only get the empath in more trouble if he answers. Daddy does not respond, just stands there watching Will. It makes Will’s tummy hurt and he squirms as the doctor just continues to look at him. 

“Fine!” Will yells and shoves the puzzle away from him. Pieces go scattering everywhere, the picture no longer recognizable. “I ignored you!” Will is breathing extremely hard by the time he is done and angrily glaring at Daddy. 

The outburst causes Daddy to react. He walks into the room and kneels in front of Will, gently grabbing his chin and forcing Will to meet his eyes. “I am very unhappy with what you just did William.” Daddy lets the words sink in and continues. “You will pick up each piece of the puzzle, put it in the box, and then hand it to me. We will then eat lunch and afterwards you will be having a nap.”

Will feels his eyes welling up with tears. “But I don’t want a nap Daddy.”

“Your actions tell me otherwise.” Daddy tells him and leans in to kiss Will’s forehead. It just makes Will feel even worse. “Now, please start cleaning up.”

The tears don’t fall but they sit in Will’s eyes and make it hard to see. He watches Daddy stand up and walk over to the doorway, waiting for Will to do as he has been told. Will gets up and starts picking up the pieces. Some pieces went really far so it takes him longer to clean up and by the time he hands Daddy the closed puzzle box he feels bad.

“I’m sorry Daddy.” He whispers as he stares at his feet.

Daddy lifts his chin again. “I forgive you. Now let us go eat our lunch.”

Will nods and follows the man into the kitchen. The food is still steaming and it looks yummy but all Will wants to do is curl up on Daddy’s lap. He sits in the seat that Daddy pulls out for him and follows Daddy, eating one bite at a time. 

Daddy tries to talk to him but he is not feeling very talkative right now. Thankfully the older man seems to understand that and lets him be. They finish their meal in silence and Will helps bring his plate to the sink after.

“Now Will, it is time for you to have your nap.”

Will is already shaking his head before Daddy can finish speaking. “But I don’t wanna nap!” He can feel the tears coming back and tries his best not to let them fall.

“You need a nap William.” Daddy explains in his gentle voice. “And because Daddy told you it was going to happen, that means it will. I never go back on my word. You can always find comfort in that. Do you understand?”

The tears are falling freely now but Will nods. “Y--yes Daddy. I u--understand.” Will stutters out. 

Daddy gently takes hold of one of his hands and leads Will to his bedroom. Daddy tells Will to get dressed in some pyjamas while he gets the bed ready. The bed still has all the blankets on it that Will kind of remembers getting for himself one night and he watches as Daddy makes the bed with them.

Will does not usually wear pyjamas but he has some and he admits to himself that he does feel better once he has them on. “I’m ready Daddy.” 

The doctor looks over at him and smiles, the sight of it making Will feel better. “Thank you Will. You’re such a good boy.”

Will feels himself smiling in return. “I am?” 

Daddy beckons him over and Will happily runs over. He climbs into bed and can feel a yawn climbing up his throat as Daddy tucks him in.

“Of course my dear Will. Just because you sometimes do something naughty does not mean you’re a bad boy.” Daddy tells him as he finishes tucking Will in. Daddy brushes the hair away from Will’s eyes. “I love you, my sweet sweet boy.”

Will smiles sleepily up at the older man as the yawn finally makes its way to his mouth. “I love you too Daddy.” He watches as Daddy gets up and leaves the room. Now that Will is all tucked in and warm, it is easy to see that Daddy is right. He does need a nap, so he closes his eyes and rolls onto his side.

Of course Will was bound to come out of his headspace at some point and waking up in his bed in the middle of the afternoon seems to be the starting point. He knows what he did with Hannibal, can remember in great detail what happened since he went over to the doctor’s house the night before. Some of it makes him cringe.

The big take-away from it all though is that he feels better. He feels rested and like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He does not fear getting up and greeting the world because there is that certainty now that Hannibal will be there for him.

And maybe that’s his little headspace talking because they really have not spent all that much time together as two adults outside of cases and sessions, but that feeling is there all the same. The trust needed to allow the doctor to see him in such a vulnerable state clearly speaks to an innate faith in the older man.

Will cannot say that he minds it. The fact that he can find comfort in this relationship with Hannibal, that he can _depend_ on it, is something Will has never had. It fills him with a kind of hope and he finds that he wants to do everything he can do protect it.

With that thought in mind he gets out of bed and goes in search of the doctor. No way would Hannibal leave him in alone while in his headspace and Will is proven right when he finds the doctor seated in the living room reading a book.

“Uh, hey Hannibal.” Will greets the older man awkwardly. 

The use of his first name seems to be an indicator to Hannibal - as if the body language the empath is displaying isn’t enough - and he smiles slightly. “Hello Will, how do you feel?”

“Um better. Really good actually.” Will answers honestly. “Thank you.”

Hannibal nods. “I am glad to hear that. There is no need to thank me, however. I am here in whatever capacity you need and am glad of the opportunity to be of use to you.”

Will frowns just the tiniest bit. “But isn’t it, I don’t know, annoying for you?” He asks. “You have to deal with me being annoying and bratty, unruly as you might say.”

He does not want to lessen the importance of what the new aspect of their relationship means to him, but there is still a lot of confusion present in the dynamics of it that he finds he really needs answers to.

“I would ask that you do not detract from yourself in such a way. Those feelings and emotions that you are experiencing are normal and expected. And while I can understand how you would have a hard time understanding my point of view in all this, I truly do get a lot out of being your Daddy. It is as freeing for me to take on that roll for you as it is for you to take on that headspace.” Hannibal explains. He lessens the reproval in his words by smiling and continuing on in a soft tone. “Do not mistake me, however, in thinking that if we took away this avenue of our relationship that I would no longer have an interest in you. You are my friend and I have always wanted to be close to you. This is but one way to achieve that goal.”

Will nods along as the doctor explains himself. It all makes a lot of sense and relieves Will of some of the weight he was feeling. It felt like there was an imbalance to their relationship but the doctor only ever says what he means - understands the weight that words carry - and Will trusts him to speak his mind.

It is also nice to hear that Hannibal would still be here - still be present in Will’s life - even without sharing this new dynamic. Will is not confident enough in this new aspect of himself to fully trust it but he knows his mind and if that is enough to draw the doctor in then that works for Will. The fact that the older man said he would still pursue Will - yes, he can read between the lines thank you very much - warms Will right through.

He finds himself smiling at the doctor. There are so many ways to interpret the information that Hannibal has given him. It allows Will’s mind to wander down some paths that he has tried not to allow himself to think of before - like dark bedrooms and gasping breaths.

Will has always been appreciative of Hannibal’s looks and the furthering of the Daddy and Little dynamic has given him the opportunity to be appreciative of the older man’s mind as well. Of course the doctor is smart but as Will has always had a distinct lack of interest in psychologists he purposefully did not allow the allure of Hannibal’s mind to draw him in - or so he likes to tell himself.

He turns to hide his smirk and calls over his shoulder. “What are the dinner plans?” As he goes to find his dogs.

He grins where Hannibal cannot see as the doctor follows him and explains the elaborate meal he was planning to make at his own home. He expected nothing less from the man and finds that he has an excitement to follow this man.

It is curious how a few choice words landed Will where he is now, completely relaxed and allowing himself to be amused at the predictability of his _friend_ , his sometimes coworker.

His _Daddy_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end of this particular story. I will be continuing Hannibal and Will's relationship in this verse in another story as part of a series, as I felt furthering the sexual aspects of their relationship (while not in the Daddy/Little roles because there will not be any smut happening while Will is Little) did not gel with the tone of this story. 
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think.
> 
> ~ M


End file.
